The Cold and the Thirst
by carolineepridgen
Summary: What would happen if Bree Tanner had survived and lived with the Cullens? Attended Forks High School? In this rewritten version of Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse Novella, Bree tries to live a "normal" life with the yellow-eyes. Rated T, just as precaution.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

Carlisle stood above me, held out his hand encouragingly, "Come, child. Let our family regroup for a moment, then we'll have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, you have nothing to fear."

I stood cautiously, doing my best not to look threatening.

Watching them gather, I surveyed the damage done to my coven. Never before that moment had I claimed them as my own coven. But as I picked out familiar faces among the fallen, I realized I had been one of them, an outcast in a doomed coven. Where I would have preferred Diego and Fred, the other outsiders, I had thrown my lot in with Riley's lackeys.

An out roar broke out among the yellow-eyed vampires. "Where is she?" This one was blonde, as Carlisle was but leaner and taller. Though he was doing his best to look calm and in control, a storm raged just below the surface. Carlisle, the one from before, placed his hands on the shoulders of the blonde. "Jasper, there was nothing you could do." His voice was soothing but Jasper shrugged his hands and words away, "How could this have happened, she's unstoppable, invincible, she always knew…" He trailed off, lost in thought. When he met Carlisle's eyes again recognition lay on his face like the weight of the world. "She knew."

"Jasper, one of them had caught Bella's scent and-" Jasper's fists tightened, "And she sacrificed herself for a greater cause. She warned me, before…" His back straightened. Pity found a place in Carlisle's eyes, "Jasper…" Jasper's head snapped over to me, "Why is _she_ alive?"

Carlisle's body blocked Jasper, restraining him. "She doesn't want to fight. She's surrendered." As Jasper studied me, I watched him. His skin was pockmarked with scars, only a few were new. He had been in more fights than I could have imagined, and he'd never lost. His face clouded in thought and suddenly I felt an unexpected surge of frustration, though I had no idea what I was frustrated with.

"Carlisle, I..." He hesitated, "It's not possible, we can't have any of these newborns associated with us when the Volturi come. Do you realize the danger that would put us in?"

Though his words confused me, the message was clear. He wanted me gone, dead or disappeared. Which seemed reasonable enough since it sounded as if he had lost the one he love to my coven.

A woman protested on my belhalf, "Jasper, she's only a child. We can't just murder her in cold blood!"

The way she said it she sounded as if we were human. That as vampires we had not killed every day to survive, and still abided by the social norms of humanity. Don't mureder, even though it's in our nature. Which as I thought about it, was probably in the nature of humans. Or was it? How many people slain by vampires had been blamed on humans?

"It's our family on the line here, Esme. We can't afford to have them think we broke this rule."

This just affirmed my suspicions of a vampire hierarchy with an elite group of elite vampires on top.

The woman, esme, walked bbetween me and the one who wanted me dead. She then unexpectedly turned her back to me.

"No. I won't stand for it."

I felt Carlisle staring anxiously at me. The look was familiar, one I would have sent anyone who might have tried to harm Diego. I tried to sink into myself and look docile.

"Jasper, we need to take the chance," in a soothing voice he continued, "Do not unjustly place your anger on this poor girl. She did not kill Alice."

The muscles all over Jasper's body tensed. I tried to focus my attention on the mad with the kind eyes. Anger pulsed through me in waves and I realized it was coming from Jasper. Riley had not mentioned this one. His powers seemed close to Fred's but different. Suddenly Jasper sighed and the anger subsided.

Calmly he replied, "I don't like this At least let me take charge of her. You two don't know how to deal with someone who's been running wild so long."

I was at loathe to be handed over to him but Carlisle nodded. His hand reached out and clasped Esme's and the two of them headed past Jasper back toward the open field.

"You there," Jasper said to me, a glower shadowing his face again. "Come with us. Don't make one rash move or I _will_ take you down."

When he glared at me, a pulse of anger surged through my body again, and a small part of me wanted to snarl and show my teethbut my dominant mind beat down that idea, not wanting to give him an excuse to distrust me.

Jasper's pulses paused as if he had thought of something. "Close your eyes," he commanded.

I hesitated, ever wary of his intent to have me dead. Closing my eyes left me vulnerable as vulnerable as I could be.

"Do it!"

My teeth gritted together before I shut my eyes. This made me feel twice as helpless as I had before. Losing one of your major sense could do that. It also showed a lot of trust I wasn't sure I wanted to give.

"Follow the dound of my voice and don't open your eyes. You look, you lose, got it?"

I nodded, wondering what he didn't want me to see. At least he was bothering to protect something. You don't bother to hide things from a dead man, well a living dead man.

"This way."

I walked slowly after him a smile playing on my lips. Before I could stop it, my mouth blurted it out. "Marco."

After a moment's hesitation he replied, "Polo."

This continued as he led me, and I was careful to give him no excuses. He was considerate in the way he led, not walking me into any trees, at lest. When we were in the open, the sound changed and I noticed other differences as well; The feel of the wind was different and the smell of my coven burning was stronger. I almost gagged but managed to turn it into a "Marco." The warmth of the sun of my face comforted me, and the inside of my eyes lids were brighter as I sparkled.

I could hear the crackle of the flames, so close that I could feel the smoke brush my skin. Though he could have killed me at any time the nearness still made me nervous.

"Sit here. Eyes closed."

The ground was warm under me, heated by the sun and fire. Only a week ago I had though never to feel sunlight on my face. I relaxed my body, in attempt to look harmless. Suddenly I felt separated from the warmth of the ground the air. I opened my eyes to look down and find the ground at a dizzying distance from me. Then I saw the figures, running around standing in clumps. There were shapes emerging from the forest, wolf-like beings. A young girl lay sleeping on the ground. Then the figures became clearer. Carlisle was standing with Esme and a burly fellow. They were deep in conversation when a blonde woman joined them. I looked back at the girl sleeping and a hind of recognition sparked in my mind. Me, that was me sleeping. I looked and saw the figure who had his back turned to me flick his head back toward my dead looking body. Quick as a flash he kneeled next to my corpse. When he grabbed its arm and shook it I felt a slight tingling in my phantom arm. I took a glance at the trees, I saw two figures emerging from the forest, and then farther on in a field farther away, a shadow, a blackness. Suddenly I surfaced back in my own body.

Jasper's hands were on my shoulders, "Stop that."

My head shook back and forth, "I saw…"

He cut me off, "You didn't see anything. You were asleep."

That didn't make sense, "Vampires don't sleep." He shot me a look, "You were sleeping." An urge to believe him, to trust what he'd said, came over me instantaneously. "Stop!" His eyes darted back to me, "What?" My fingers massaged my temples. "The mind thing where you take over my emotions. I know what I saw! There were giant wolves as large as bears, Rauol, and Jen and Sara were burning in the flames, and... And there was a black group coming."

Upon hearing this, Jaspers body stance changed. "Black?" I nodded. "Carlisle!" Carlisle was next to us in an instant. "The Volturi, they're coming." Carlisle glanced at me and nodded. Suddenly all of the wolves I had seen before burst into the clearing. One of my coven had been feigning death and took this moment to run. I didn't know his name, only that he was one of Rauol's. He lunged for a wolf but another wolf took him down rolling. I grimaced I heard a sickening crack and a yelp and suddenly the other wolves had joined in, annihilation the "newborn" as I had heard us being called by the yellow-eyes. Their ferocity frightened me and I hugged my legs to my chest. "What are they?" "Werewolves." Was Jasper's curt response.

Suddenly the wolves transformed into humans, except their hearts beat more strongly than the average human. The wind shifted and their scent wafted towards me.

Again I fought the urge to gag when the stench hit me. My hand rushed to cover my nose and mouth. These creatures were a meal I did not want to taste. "Why do they stink?" One of the half-humans called out, "Carlisle!" and the kind eyed vampire ran to the half-humans.

I heard screams of pain from the werewolf huddle. Names were called out in orders, "Leah, Paul, Sam." One was repeated though "Jacob."

Jasper's head titled, hearing something and he suddenly pinched my nose tight and covered my eyes. He couldn't cover my ears though and I heard the approach of whatever he was trying to hide. I wriggled under his touch. "Don't you dare move." My wriggling came to a halt.

My muslces went slack and I tuned everything out, except there was one thing I couldn't tune out, my instincts kicking in. A heartbeat, a human heartbeat pounding. My thirst picked up burned in my throat.

Jasper removed his hands from my eyes and nose, sensing that I had already picked up on the human. If I wanted to, I could overpower him in an instant. I was not sure I could take on his whole coven though.

The scent of the human filled my nose and I gasped and held my breath. "Don't let it overtake you, or we will take you out." Jasper's voice was calm and level and he had every intentionof keeping that threat. I watched a red-haired vampire pull the human in tight and glare at me. Then suddenly the black figures burst into the clearing. Everybody tensed at their appearance. I recognized them as the black cloaked figures that had entered _her _house. The leader of the group , a young blonde about my age surveyed the scene.

These were the vampires that wanted the yellow-eyes dead. Would another battle break out amongst them? Who would win? Though I had only just met the yellow-eyes, I wholly wished them to come out on top.

The vampire with the human said to the leader, "Welcome, Jane."

His voice was full of familiarity but there was a coldness to it, an underlying hatred. Riley's tone had been weak and eager to please. This must be the Volturi, the infamous elite vampires.

Jane's blood red eyes swept the field again. Her eyes passed the human without a glance but when they came on me, they stopped. Jasper had left my side the moment the dark cloaks came. I buried my head in my hands, trying my best to look mild and meek. "I don't understand." Jane's voice sounded sweet but when I stared in her eyes, I knew were intentions were not.

"She surrendered."

"Surrendered?" Jane snapped.

I peeked out from under my arms to see the dark cloaks exchanging glances. Was it really so implausible that I should surrender? That my head was actually screwed on right?

"Carlisle gave her the option."

"The option was not his to give." One of the others replied.

"There are no options for those who break the rules." Jane's voice was calm, but her face looked slightly confused and more than slightly frustrated.

"Please," the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, "I didn't know, he never told us.. I'll, I'll learn the rules, do whatever it takes."

"We'll teach her." I glanced over at Esme, who was taking a great risk speaking on my behalf.

"The Volturi do not give second chances."

I was at a loss for words, "But…"

"She has a talent." The red-heads voice was unexpected. "She can detach herself from her body. When she does she sees everything that is happening. No one is able to see her."

Jane's eyes flared, "And what good is that?"

It was Carlisle's voice next, "We lost one of our own, we are missing one from our company. Let her take that place. If you want her later on after she's developed, you can have her."

Jane twisted on him, "Like you gave us the other? Like you gave us them?" She asked, gesturing to the red-head and the human. Suddenly her rage subsided, "Very well then. If we decide we want her, we _will_ collect. Before we hand her over to you there are a few questions we need to aske her."

Esme's voice pleaded with her, "You don't have to do that, she'll tell you everything you want to know!" Her voice was full of fear and that fear influenced me.

Jane's blood red eyes turned on me, "I know."

Pain ravaged my body and I writhed under her eyes. I refused to look away through, staring into her eyes as my body fought an enemy it could only feel.

"Who created you?" "I-I don't know."

The red head answered the question for me, "A vampire named Victoria. She had a grudge against Bella."

Jane looked at Bella but my pain never subsided, "This human seems to bring out thw strangest reaction amoung our kind."

Jane turned on me, "How many were you?" The pain stopped.

"There were twenty-two when we started but then there were a couple fights and…" My voice trailed off, unable to tell them of Diego and Fred.

"And this Victoria, did she turn you?" Janes's voice was sharp and fierce.

"I don't know, Riley didn't want us to know, he said it was to keep us safe. He lied about everything. I-I don't know."

"Tell me about Riley." I was relieved to move on from the question I couldn't answer.

"He, he was the leader, the thinker. He was harsh but fair and he was good at deceit. "My mind searched for answers, "He was involved, with , with Victoria."

Her eyes narrowed, "How do you know?"

"We were watching him, Diego and I. We need to tell him something and then you showed up…"

Jane cut me off, "I've heard enough."

She glared at Bella, "She is still human."

Edward replied, "The date is set."

Jane nodded before walking off into the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

******Author's Notes: Thank you to anyone who is reading this. I didn't have this in the first chapter so I'm going to add it now.**

**I don't own any of the charachters or lines from the Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, they belong to, well whoever it is they belong to.**

**Ok, that's done. Feel free to review and/or PM me. This is my first story so thanks for reading!**

* * *

**Chapter 2.**

The Cullen's home was huge and it looked as if it belonged in a magazine. The red haired vampire, who I learned was called Edward, drove the human, Bella, home.

Esme gave me a tour of the house, showing me an empty room where I could stay. "When we were building Alice insisted we have an extra room built. We never imagined we would be gaining an addition to put in it."

The room was spacious but not so big as to be daunting. After living fifteen years with my drunkard of a father in a one room apartment, my own space was a welcome sight.

As we were heading back down the stairs I noticed a peculiar piece of art hanging on the wall. It looked to be rows of graduation caps. I ran my hand along the silken cover. "Are these what they appear to be?" Esme smiled warmly, "Only if they appear to be graduation caps. Yes, we happen to be quite the scholars." I laughed softly and said under my breath, "I'd be happy to graduate once." Esme turned from the wall to me, "Then you will my dear."

The rest of the week I did my best to avoid the other vampires, preferring seclusion to the watchful eyes of the coven. Esme came looking for me once, to ask if I wanted to feed. I replied that I was not yet thirsty, even though in truth pain scratched at the inside of my throat, burning with the lust for blood. Ignoring it, I spent my time stealing books from other rooms and hoarding them in my room. I had every intention of returning them, but when I tried I was unable to remember where I had gotten each one.

After five days had passed and I hadn't fed, Jasper found me holed up in my den of books. Had I not restrained myself, I might have let out a hiss my nerves were so frayed from my solitary suffering.

Jasper frowned at me, surrounded by stolen novels. "We've been wondering where these books went. Nice to know we have a biblioklept."

I ducked my head, "I meant to return them."

"Are you thirsty?"

I shook my head, "I'm fine, don't worry about me, I…" Jasper grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet.

"Don't lie, you haven't fed in five days, at least. Your throat is burning and you refuse to release yourself from the pain."

This time I did hiss as he pulled me from my room by my armpits, my feet dragging on the ground.

"Come on, pick your feet up. We're leaving."

Then I stopped fighting him, allowing him to lead me through the hallway, down the stairs, past the kitchen, and out the back door.

Outside was not a pretty day, it was cloudy and chilly. I rubbed my eyes as they adjusted to the light. Even the muted light that came in through the clouds was more than what my room offered, more than likely because I had closed the blinds and refused to turn on the lights but lighter nonetheless.

The wind started to whip around me. I clutched my jacket tight around my body.

"Follow me," was the only warning I received before Jasper's back sprinted off into the forest.

My advanced nose immediately locked on his scent and my legs strived to follow.

When he stopped my throat was undeniably burning and I couldn't keep my hands from rubbing my neck. My nose caught a whiff of blood, an unfamiliar scent, but blood. I dropped into a crouch as I hissed at Jasper, "What is it?"

He pointed to just over a ledge where a large cat paced back and forth. "Mountain Lion."

Disbelief must have showed on my face for Jasper continued, "It's not as bad as it smells, besides you need blood."

I shot him another glance before I let my hunter's instincts take over. Mountain Lions, naturally, are stronger than the average human, but in my feeding mode, my brain did not pick up on this fact before lunging. Even in my weakened state, I still had the element of surprise on my side, but the creature had strength and desperation. It thrashed, forcing my teeth to make long gashes in the fur, spraying blood everywhere. The animal had escaped my grasp momentarily, but now I had the taste of blood in my mouth and I was not ready to give up my meal so easily.

As I drained the mountain lion, I grew stronger and the lion fought less.

My mouth was pleasantly covered in blood. I licked my lips before wiping the rest off with the sleeve of my soiled jacket.

When I turned, I found Jasper waiting. He had hunted while I was struggling with the cat. The smudge of blood on the corner of his lip told wonders. He saw me looking at his lips and wiped it away with the back of his hand.

"I'm not normally a messy eater…" I started. "I didn't say anything. He turned around before adding, "You should have killed it first." That would have solved the problem nicely. I almost replied and then I realized Jasper was no longer standing there. His trail led back to the house where he was waiting outside with the larger yellow-eyed one, Emmett who was watching the sky.

"Thunderstorm."

Jasper nodded, knowingly. Me, well let's just say I was more than a little bit confused.

Of course, being the sensible person I am, I followed them into the car anyways. It seemed as though they were trying to keep me out of the house. That was warranted, I supposed, I had spent five days straight reading books stolen from other rooms.

One glance to the far back of the car revealed a baseball bat, and an assortment of gloves.

It would have been a very awkward drive except that Emmett turned the music all the way up and Rosalie would change the dial back down. This in turn, would cause Emmett to change it back up, even higher than before, resulting in Rosalie's immediate readjustment. The pattern continued until we stopped outside a patch of trees.

Carlisle and Esme showed up behind our car and grabbed gloves out of the back.

Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett grabbed gloves and I picked up the smaller of the remaining two. Not expecting it to fit, I found myself surprised when it fit, well, like a glove.

Teams were formed, almost by instinct, for them at least. I stood on the outskirts until Carlisle motioned form me to join his and Emmett's team.

Rosalie was up to bat first. She swung the bat deftly, comfortable with it in her hands. Carlisle pitched it and I barely saw it before it flew over my head. Emmett sprinted off after it and I made my way to second base just as he threw it, right before Rosalie slid into me, barreling me over.

"Out!" Esme's voice rang out as the thunder pealed above sounding very similar to the noise of the bat and the ball coming in contact.

Rosalie shot me a glare before returning to the outskirts of the field.

Jasper came up next and I had the oddest notion to set up in my hunting position. Carlisle threw the ball and everything slowed down. Jasper swung at the ball with all his might, sending it flying.

My body knew what to do, chasing after it as if it were my prey. Emmett tried to keep up but he fell behind and I managed to snag it out of the air and turned off my hunting instincts so I didn't try to sink my fangs into it. I tossed the ball to Emmett, softly, not trusting my strength. "You throw like a human," he teased. The corners of my lips turned up in a smile, "You run like one." He held up his hands in defeat, "Touché."

When it was my turn to bat I approached with little confidence. Esme was pitching, but she did not look as though this was the normal position for her. Perhaps the other vampire had been a marvelous pitcher.

My arms attempted to mimic the way I had seen the others do it, but the position felt awkward. The ball came swiftly and I was unsure how to swing so I threw my arms out, holding the bat firmly. After I heard the crack, my feet did the rest of the work. I rounded secont but found the air rush out of my lungs. Of course, I didn't need air, but it still hurt. Rosalie stood over me, "Out." I blew the hair out of my face and ran back to the sidelines.

By the end of the game, I was relieved not to be human, not to bruise at least. I might have been a walking grape with all the purple and blue all over my body. In the absence of bruises I was sore everywhere, but a good sore. My old coven had been physical, especially in the way of their threats but never like the Cullens, playfully physical.

Spirits were high on the car ride back. I laughed with Emmett and Jasper and even Rosalie. They let me choose the song one time and I turned the dial to find one that sounded familiar. It wasn't until the end that I realized where I had heard it. Diego had showed it to me once, in our "ninja" meetings. That thought soured the rest of the ride. It was a nagging thought, always at the back of my mind, the song playing on repeat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok. So here is another chapter and I hope you enjoy. Thank you to my friends who are reading this at my request (some haven't even read any of the books but are doing it because they love me). Feel free to review or PM me. **

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me (I wish they were mine, I'd be rich!).**

**Chapter 3.**

We returned to the house and I kicked off my shoes before starting to head up stairs. Esme, as soon as she came through the door, called out my name. I slid down a couple steps so I could see her. "Your clothes are covered in blood, besides those are the ones you came here with." I looked down at them. Were they? Yes, they were.

"Follow me dear."

We entered a purple room. She started sifting through the drawers, searching for clothes to fit me.

After a moment she handed me a well-worn t-shirt and a pair of black jeans.

She then sat me down in a chair and proceeded to pull a brush through my hair. It was knotted and tangled but Esme's movements were gentle, making me wish she was my actual mother, instead of the woman who died when I was born. All my father's girlfriends stopped being nice to me when they realized it wouldn't curry favor with my dad.

When she was finished I pulled it into a ponytail but Esme took my hair and flipped it in on itself. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and smiled, turning my head side to side.

"Like it?" Esme smiled hopefully.

"Of course." I returned her smile with a large one of my own.

"How old were you?" Esme's question was simple enough but I had trouble remembering vague memories, let alone specific ones.

"Fifteen, I think, close to sixteen." That sounded about right.

She gave me a sad smile. "Too young to die."

I shook my head, "I think by the end of my life, my human life, I was about ready to give in." To myself I added, "Sold my soul for a burger that never came."

An uninvited laugh bubbled through me. I though Riley had been offering life, but he had given me a frozen, twisted form of living. Months before I had wished for death, but Diego had showed me life even in this form needed to be shared with others.

Now surrounded by people who didn't see me as just a nuisance they had to deal with, it began to untwist itself into something I recognized. Something I had watched as it passed me by on the streets of Seattle. Family.

Before I left her room I wrapped my arms around Esme and gave her a quick squeeze.

I glanced out the window of the hallway to see the rain light up with a flash of lightning.

When I opened the door to my room I found a welcome surprise. Ina a corner of my room rested a large black leather loveseat. The center of my room was now home to a matching desk and chair set. I immediately grabbed a book off the pile on my new desk and began flipping through it.

An hour passed before I got my nose out of my book and smelled something that was dusted over the book. It smelled as if the human had touched it, if only for an instant. I checked the other books, the same scent. These books were ones I had taken from other rooms in the house and never before had I noticed her scent. It must have been more recent, while I was hunting, and playing baseball, and getting changed. The only other person absent from the game had been Edward. Had they set this up while I was out? It was the only explanation I could come up with.

"Edward thought you might like it." Carlisle stood in the doorway. One instant I was standing over my desk and the next I had my arms wrapped around Carlisle.

"Thank you."

He laughed, "Don't thank me my dear. This was Edward and Bella's work. They needed you out of your room."

My face fell, "That's why everyone spent time with me today, to get me out."

Carlisle wrapped his arms around me, "No my dear. We haven't been meaning to make you feel alone, it's just that…we just lost someone very close and that wound needed to heal before we could let you in.

"Listen, I'm sorry about her. I didn't want to fight I was just…looking for someone."

He sighed, "Everyone is sorry, but there's nothing we can do about it. She's gone now. Besides, we have you now."

He left me with a kiss on the top of my head.

That conversation had taken an unexpected turn. It had started off so innocently.

Books kept me sane for the rest of the night. I was done with vampire interaction and wanted to loose myself in the printed word.


End file.
